Just as Yumikō thought he had already subdued his task before they left and went to join them, the Elders stopped him.
" Lord Yumikō, there is something you must do first. It would not be easy for the child." The fifth Elder replied.
" If it is about Phantom, then he is beyond our control." Yumikō responded.
" It is more than that." The Elders said in unison and Yumikō turned around, frozen by terror.
~~~~~~~~~
[ MEANWHILE….]
They were spending nearly the rest of the day in the underground manor, hoping to prove Ichitarō and his sisters' existence as spirit demons paid off. Since it was midday, they were heading back to the mighty walls of Maiden light castle with Phoenix guards accompanied them.
Ichigo was even more astonished when he heard Ichitarō's first laugh. Perhaps, it might have been so long. Yet, he wondered what was Kon doing here in the first place.
Kon must've picked a random direction and headed towards the manor. Ichigo, however, wasn't approve of his wondering around the spirit world, moreover him sneaking inside Rangiku's bag for his perverted behaviour on either Rukia, Yoshimura or Rangiku of all people.
" Oh, come on. I told you someone was inside there, What more do you want from me?" Kon begged.
" Not until you explain to me how you got yourself in here in the first place?! You better keep Rukia out of this!" Ichigo argued.
Ichitarō almost had no idea where he was going even though he was covered with battered bruises, all of them headed back. After few minutes of standing and watching Ichigo arguing a stuffed toy lion for an absolute petty reason, Ichitarō noticed Yoshimura grabbing his arm and saw a door opened on its own. Once they got in, they were all quite stunned at their discovery.
" We got you, intruder! What are you doing here?"" The phoenix guard demanded, belting and holding the intruder tightly on his grip.
" I didn't do shit. I was trying to find those kids! Let me go!!" He yelled.
The guest room was messier than they remembered. With Rangiku's stuff flying all over the place and two of the phoenix guards forcefully placing the culprit down. Additional to their surprise, Rukia and Ichigo knew that culprit.
" Renji?" Ichigo called and Renji turned around and saw him. His anger was surprisingly morphing itself into happiness.
" Ichigo? Ichigo! Hey, buddy. How was your life at the world of the living?" He asked and Kenji nodded to the phoenix guards by setting him free.
" Boring as usual. You're not drunk, are you? Since when are we buddies?" Ichigo asked and was surprisingly baffled on Renji's words.
" Not really, we're still getting there. Hey, I've seen you brought Rukia along." He answered
" I thought you were stuck at the Soul society." Rukia stated.
" I thought so too. I managed to escape and now I'm here in this weird. It seems like Captain Kuchiki saved you." Renji smiled.
" I'm glad you're okay." Rukia said, yet she didn't smile back at Renji at all. By then, his smile melted into sadness and remorse.
Things weren't good between them and since Renji apologized to her after her execution for everything he'd done, Rukia hadn't forgiven him since as she needed time to heal and able to forgive him. That's why Byakuya decided to separate them, for Rukia's safety – both emotionally and mentally.
" Now, what are they going to do about them?" Rangiku whispered when she slowly went to her siblings. She reckoned something weird happened between them and why she senses fear in Rukia. That's when a light bulb brightens in Kenji's mind.
" Say, I have an idea. Maybe we should leave now and attend the party. You know, to release this tension?" Kenji spoke, breaking the icy silence.
" Hey we wanna come too." Yoshimura said and Rangiku and Ichitarō agreed. On the other hand, Kenji rubbed his temple and prevented the triplets from leaving.
" Geez, I wish you could come with us, but this festival is strictly made for young adults to participate and celebrate." He lied.
" Aren't you young as well?"
" Yes I am. But not that young. So, your job is to stay here until dawn. Perhaps, we should let the mob soul of a stuffed lion to take care of them like a babysitter?" Kenji requested while smiling. Everyone were surprised at that point while Ichigo folded his arms.
" They'll be fine. We'll be back by dawn, little spirit demons." Kenji added and pushed both Ichigo and Renji towards the door and Rukia followed them as she sighed deeply, moreover they stormed out of the castle hall.
Downstairs, Ichigo wasn't really impressed the way Kenji lied to the triplets and his treatment towards them, as if they were children.
" You do know they're old enough to take care of themselves. Isn't that necessary to lie about it?" Ichigo asked.
"I have to. I know they are kids….I think, everybody should follow his, hers and their orders from him. Besides, the dark lord would fucking chop me up into pieces and feed my carcass to a dragon or something. You know his rules: "Should anything happened to the `special guests`, one muse will be a dragon's food for winter"." Kenji explained, which send Renji, Ichigo and Rukia chills down on their spines.
" Sheesh. I thought Old Captain Yamamoto was bad." Rukia said.
" As long as we don't compare these two, it'll be great." He commented nervously.
Regardless of what lied ahead, they kept moving. After storming out of the castle, they looked down on Black Wing city. Thought they couldn't see much, but growing music and twinkling lights told them everything they needed to know. Consequently, they trotted down the hill and through the snow covered trees. They were all moving with boldness, yet carefree, which would have gotten them eaten by the deeper side of the city surrounding castle. But here, close to civilization, it didn't matter.
Apart from lanterns flying up to the sky and muddy streets the first sign of the Black wing city was its people. Filled with bubbly lives of songs and dances, it floated through the air as much of its energy lost when Kazumi was in control. But Kenji knew - the closer they came, the louder, bolder, and more festive it would be.
" I almost forgot today is the Blood Winter festival. Which was also the time when the Quincy king declared war on the Soul Society nearly centuries ago and surprisingly, the soul reapers defeated them." Kenji explained, which made a lot of sense to some while Rukia, Ichigo and Renji were confused.
" Huh. First time hearing about it?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.
" Wait, it's the first time we've heard about it. Captain Yamamoto didn't even mention that festival." Renji replied.
" Whether the Central 46 must've banned it or Kazumi cancelled it, that's just a rumour for another day.", He joked," Come on, soul reapers. A little fun won't kill anybody."
With Ichitarō, Rangiku and Yoshimura inside the tower, Kenji, Rukia, Ichigo and Renji would wound their way through streets of cottages, stores, and stalls in the musical direction. Aromatic smells of foods and weird drinks were too present.
Although the Kagami triplets' had rumbling stomach, they forced themselves to witness outside on the commotion. They had been waiting for great bonfires in the city's center to dwindle down into ashes, which will end by dawn.
" Cheer up, Mr Kon. Ichigo will surely come back. Should I read you " The Iron claw: Kitty's adventure", while we wait for them to return?"
" Of course not. But I'd like to hear your stories." Kon answered with a smile on his face. Leaving both Ichitarō and Yoshimura on a silhouette window of shimmering lights that was already busted open.
Yoshimura saw how sad Ichitarō was, despite not showing any of his emotions.
" It was never your fault, Ichitarō. He was forced to do this. It had nothing to do with…well everything." Yoshimura remarked, stretching her arms and placing it over his shoulder.
" I know and it's fine by me. Since I'm done collecting these artefacts, I can go back home and forget everything that happened." Ichitarō stated. He viewed slowly and saw them reuniting with other soul reapers that survived. He could even spotted how Ichigo was more happier to be with Rukia and his unusual friendship with Renji. In addition to Kenji drinking sake amid his defeat.
" I don't understand why would he lied to our faces? We can take care of ourselves, you know?" he muttered. Yoshimura could tell if it was directed to them.
" For possible obvious reason. We might leave this place. You heard what the dark lord said." Yoshimura said and Ichitarō agreed.
" Loud and clear. He'll send us home. But I'm not sure if I should trust that guy."
" That's the last thing you'd ever run away again and thinking about that. Now that you've collected the last item, we should be leaving right now. That doesn't mean we won't say goodbye to everyone we've just met." She advised.
" Yeah. That too."
" Are you happy we'll reunite with mom and dad? I mean, you're already done with this journey. The stars are hiding above the clouds and it's already dark, however we'll wait for his verdict or something. Whether we'll be going back home."
" But the dark lord didn't say when. Sure I'll reunite with mom and dad, but those wounds I have experienced, I doubt it'll ever go away. Then I'll hear horse shit advices like; "The word of my advise is go back to where you came from and never come back in peace or something." I wish they'll all say that. Instead we're treated like some mcguffin covered in shit made of gold. All I ever wanted was to be accepted as a real person, not some prehistorical bullshit. Is that too much to ask?"
" Then don't easily fall into another trap. When it's time for anyone to understand you, that's when you'll know yourself." Yoshimura explained and Ichitarō looked at her with a simple faint smile. Afterwards, they closed the window shut.
As he went to the fireplace, he saw Kon was getting way too comfortable when Rangiku held him across her chest. Nevertheless, he doesn't have the energy to throw him away. Yet, it was a relief of their ravenous yearn for food, when the Arranchar maids arrived with so much food from the festival to eat.
~~~~~~~
{ RAMUNE'S POV }
Nighttime had fallen. The entire castle was guarded by phoenix guards, armed with their own weapons from different lengths, shapes and sizes, standing on the castle ground with their sword ready to protect their homes in case invaders are attacking the castle.
Inside of the keep, which was big enough to fit a dragon, Ramune find it weird that everybody in the Black Wing city, began the Blood winter festival to a celebrate the first victory for the Soul Society and the old Head captain Yamamoto didn't have a slightest clue of what Yumikō was doing.
How could she forget that day she wished she'd forgotten the most bloodiest time of the year? The day when the Soul Society was attacked by Quincys. Every year, entities commemorated the festival and this year she couldn't believe the dark lord must've let them celebrate that victory.
She continued healing Murasaki's eye in silence.
He blinked and opened his eyes again before he could see better. Ramune stroke the dragon's head for comfort when someone tapped her shoulder. At first, she was spooked but when she turned around she saw one of the Arranchar maids and they called her in for something.
" Does the dark lord wish to see me?" She asked.
" No, My lady. It's your husband. He wants to see you." One of them answered.
' Oh, Shunsui.' she presumed herself. Seconds later, she washed her hands and followed the maids.
Meanwhile, in the guest room Shunsui's longing for Ramune was desolated with restlessness even one of the best sake from the Black Wing city didn't taste as sweet as it should be. Surely they haven't seen each other for 2 ( shinigami ) aeons and the destruction of the Seireitei, without her presence, he felt quite empty. All he ever wanted was his sweet, sweet rose and wondered if she was hurt or worse.
She walked past the maids as she followed them.
Ramune stopped by the door of the guest room and looked back, hoping it's not a prank from Yumikō. Otherwise she'd made sure he knew who she was. As soon as she opened the door, Shunsui flinched when he heard it slowly moved on its own. Moreover to his surprise, Ramune arrived.
Ramune's rose pink eyes widened with a surprise as she saw Shunsui sat comfortably on the bed with his winter kimono clothing, along with sake on his hand.
Ramune walked in like a bride on her wedding night with her husband. Whenever she saw her husband, she was surprised to see him and Shunsui smirked.
As soon as the Arranchar maids left, Shunsui looked at her and saw Ramune, standing behind the door with her arms folded across her chest. So, she sat herself down right next to him and gently hugged him. Yet her tears hadn't fallen yet as she thought her husband had already reached towards her home.
" I thought you've arrived at the Heavenly Dragon gate. Zhong could've told me you're here and the little girl." She spoke and Shunsui brushed her hair with his hand and fingers.
" I was, but some celestial cat named Frost miraculously insisted we should be in here instead. Fate has its way to shit on anyone's plans, even if not intended to." Shunsui explained and heard his wife sniff for the first time. He, then added:,
" Hey, you should be proud of yourself. I'm glad you're okay. I was worried about you back there."
" I'm a big girl, Zhàng fū. That's because we're married, doesn't mean I can't take care of myself.
You don't have to worry a single thing. " She replied with a smile on her face.
" I know, sweet rose. Thank you, my dear sweet rose I owe you a big one for saving these kids." Shunsui said, grabbing both her cold hands.
" I love always getting my job done." She chuckled.
" And your family?" He asked.
" They'll have to wait a little longer. Right now I must hear it from the horse's mouth - Yumikō Mishima, the dark lord. I guess I have to wait until he's done with ….. whatever he's doing. Even if it's dawn." She answered. As soon as fireworks lightened up the dark cloudy sky, her seductive, foxy eyes were glancing on Shunsui's grey eyes. Mesmerized by her hypnotic beauty, Shunsui was ready for his affection towards his lovely wife.
" Since the dark lord…. isn't here nor anybody else, I think it's time….. we….. finish what we've started?" She seductively requested.
" You mean…?" He curiously asked.
" Uh-huh, it's my way of repaying you." She nodded with an answer.
" You don't have to, Méi gūi and promise me you'll never go away. I hate being lonely without you."
" I promise. I'll always have your back, no matter what."
He went to her and wrapped his free arm around her waist, sharing their passionated, slow kiss. All while reminiscing their taste of each other. Whilst placing his sake cup on the tatami* floor.
She separated herself from him and pulled him towards the bed. They reciprocate their kiss once their lips collided again as he undress his kimono.